Beginning in the 1960's, agricultural demands have
deprived this large Central Asian
salt lake of enough water to sustain itself, and it has shrunk rapidly. This was caused
principally by the diversion of two tributary rivers, the Syr Darya and Amu Darya. Water
from the Syr Darya and Amu Darya Rivers was diverted primarily for irrigation of
cultivated fields. The plains surrounding the Aral were traditionally cattle pastures.
Uzbekistan & Kazakstan, and other Central Asian countries use
this water to grow cotton and additional export crops. More than 5 metric tons of
cotton are produced in the region each year. The irrigated fields are approximately the
size of Ireland.
The resulting concentration
of the lake water and desertification of the former lake bottom has been
responsible for large impacts on local wildlife and human populations. There
are widespread environmental consequences, including fisheries loss, water and
soil contamination, and dangerous levels of polluted airborne sediments. 10%
of the world's dust comes from Aral Sea Region. Former fishing ports are
stranded far from the sea. Some towns that had a fishing industry are now more than
40 miles from the lake shores.